The Villains I Taught Became Heroes - Chapter 82



81 – Are you feeling bold? – 2

***

“….Hello.”

“…Ah, hello.”

“Hi~! It’s been a while! How’s everyone doing?!”

Ariasha, lounging on the sofa in the dormitory’s common room, waved her hand and got up.

It’s a strange atmosphere.

Sowol wore her usual confident expression, while Lena, as always, was observing the situation.

And Ariasha simply smiled brightly, as if she had no interest in such things.

But this awkward atmosphere was unavoidable.

Rifa, sitting in the corner of the sofa reading a book, felt the chill in the air and forced a smile.

“Well, it’s been a while~.”

“Indeed. Rifa. How have you been?”

“Oh, it’s been a long time…”

“How about you drop off your things first?”

Following Rifa’s suggestion, Sowol and Lena headed to their rooms.

As soon as they entered, Rifa grabbed Ariasha.

“What’s with the atmosphere?”

“Huh? I don’t really know?”

“Ariasha…”

Is she really oblivious, or is she just pretending not to be?

Rifa sighed at Ariasha’s innocent expression.

Regardless, the ever-cheerful Ariasha simply pulled her into a gentle embrace.

“By the way, we haven’t had lunch yet, right? How about we go to the café for a quick bite?”

“Should we do that?”

At Ariasha’s suggestion, Rifa jumped up from her seat.

When she returned to grab her bag, Sowol and Lena were already out in the common room.

The same atmosphere again. Staying in this mood would surely make me feel uneasy.

“Ariasha, let’s go quickly.”

“Oh? Where are we going?”

—

“That’s when I was with Arisha at the café…”

“Then how about I join you? I have something to say too…”

“I, I want to go too…”

This isn’t right.

Not at all.

Rifa’s instincts were telling her. She shouldn’t get involved in this.

“Ah! I suddenly have something to do!”

She spoke quickly and entered the room.

Hoping desperately that they wouldn’t follow her in.

“Is that so? Then you should take a good rest, Arisha?”

“Uh?!”

“How about we go, at least?”

Facing Sowol’s smile, Arisha nodded enthusiastically.

“Yeah!”

“I, I’ll go too.”

Lena cautiously opened her mouth. After glancing back and forth between the two, she clenched her fist slightly.

“I, I have something I want to say…”

“Oh my. What a coincidence. I had something I wanted to say too.”

“Wow! How can this be? I had something to say as well~.”

Listening to the bright and cheerful conversation of the three beyond the door, Rifa thought.

From noble mtl dot com

‘Please let it be without me…’

Normally, Arisha would be chattering cheerfully, Sowol would be laughing and chiming in, and Lena would be stumbling over her words to add her comments.

But during their walk to the café, none of the three spoke. As if an intense battle awaited them the moment they arrived.

Was it because of the tense atmosphere?

Even though three women, beautiful as flowers, were walking, not a single person stood in their way.

It was just as they arrived at the café.

“Uh? It’s the teacher.”

For the first time, Arisha spoke. At her words, Sowol and Lena’s gazes turned to one place.

Just as she said, they could see Lee Hyun sitting in the café.

The previously tense atmosphere shattered in an instant.

If she had a tail, it would have been wagging with joy as Arisha headed toward Lee Hyun, followed closely by Sowol and Lena. And then.

“By the decree of His Majesty the Great Emperor, I ask: do you have any thoughts of matchmaking?”

At Ludwig’s words, sitting in front of Lee Hyun, the three froze.

“…Matchmaking?”

The words that broke the ice were colder than ice itself.

Matchmaking.

Could it be the same word she knew?

Doubting her ears, just as she thought she might have misheard, Lee Hyun spoke.

“Of course, we should.”

“…Huh?”

Arisha, who had been frozen, finally thawed.

Along with the heat.

Even though she had only uttered a single word, the warmth radiating from her was anything but ordinary.

Caught between the ice-cold Sowol and the now fiery Arisha, Lena bit her lip tightly before grabbing both of them.

The three, who had hurriedly hidden in a corner, banded together, forgetting the earlier tense atmosphere, and whispered.

“The master is matchmaking…”

“Th-That can’t be, um, true.”

“…But you just said it, right? That it should definitely happen. Quite willingly, too.”

How could this be? Arisha felt a sense of disbelief beyond mere embarrassment.

“Isn’t there some kind of, um, misunderstanding…?”

Right. It must be a misunderstanding.

There was no way Lee Hyun would accept such a thing.

Thus, Lena, true to her wizardly nature, tried her best to maintain her composure.

“Wow~. She’s pretty and well-endowed, right? Plus, she comes from a good family. To be matched with someone like this—what an honor.”

“Hahaha. His Majesty has found a fine match for you, Lee Hyun. One that suits you perfectly.”

What are they saying? It’s me who would suit Lee Hyun.

Coincidentally, the three exchanged glances, each thinking the same thing.

Pretty face, ample bosom, good family. They all believed that their personalities were as smooth as silk, and they couldn’t trust Lee Hyun’s reaction.

‘To think he would consider another woman.’

She wanted to approach Lee Hyun immediately and ask.

As soon as that thought crossed their minds, the three stood up without waiting for anyone to go first.

“Then it’s settled… Huh.”

Ludwig, having finished his conversation with Lee Hyun, was about to rise when he suddenly froze.

He had spotted the three beautiful women glaring at him as if they were ready to kill.

If looks could kill, he would have died several times over by now.

Sweating profusely, Ludwig quickly made his escape.

As soon as he disappeared, the three swiftly approached Lee Hyun.

The guests nearby hurriedly vacated the area, sensing the tense atmosphere.

Regardless, Lee Hyun sipped his coffee, offering the same peaceful smile to the three as always.

“Oh? It’s you guys. When did you arrive?”

“Just now.”

“Oh, you came today.”

“Teacher. That’s not the important thing right now.”

Though she smiled brightly, Arisha’s eyes were anything but cheerful as she stared directly at Lee Hyun.

“Are you really going to see her?”

“Of course, I have to.”

Lee Hyun, who had been gazing intently at Arisha, chuckled softly and nodded.

***

The woman in the painting Ludwig had given me was someone I knew.

Angela Yuskina.

The Empire’s Yusukina and the Count’s daughter.

Currently a history instructor at the academy, she is a kind and charming woman who is admired by many students and faculty members.

Of course, this is just her superficial appearance; in reality, she is the vanguard of the Magic Empire.

And she is a descendant of the Sword Demon, the arch-enemy of the King.

Moreover, she serves as a mid-boss in the Arisha route of the main story.

Additionally, the reason the Emperor had me meet this woman was not because he genuinely hoped for a relationship to flourish.

The Emperor often tasked me in this manner.

He would investigate those who sought to harm the peace of the Empire under the guise of forming connections or friendships.

The Emperor’s request, and an opportunity to progress the main story.

I wondered how I would approach her, being from a different department, but now a chance to do so had presented itself.

In that case, there was no reason to decline.

“Why do you all look like that?”

The three looked at me as if they couldn’t believe it.

I smiled at them and offered them a seat.

However, none of them seemed inclined to sit down.

“How can you do that, Teacher?”

“I can.”

“…Are you really going to reject me and meet with another woman?”

“Is that not allowed?”

“P-Please say it’s a lie, please…”

“It’s a lie.”

“…I-I’m not joking…”

“I’m not joking either. Sit down. I’ll explain.”

I managed to get the three of them to sit down. With smiles, I turned to them as if to say, “Let’s see what you think.”

“What do you think it looks like?”

To the three of them, who looked like they were about to shout, I presented the picture sent by the Emperor.

A portrait of a beautiful woman with beige bobbed hair and a gentle smile, it was a picture of Angela.

Sowol, who was staring intently at the picture of the woman with a beauty mark beneath her left eye, let out a snort.

“She looks like she has a bad personality.”

Correct.

She always pretends to be kind on the outside, but in reality, she is a pervert who derives pleasure from cutting people down.

“Sh-She looks like she’s hiding something…”

Also correct.

As a descendant of the Magic Empire, she operates within the academy, selecting individuals who would hinder the revival of the Magic Empire for assassination.

“Men wouldn’t suspect a thing, but people like this are always up to no good!”

This one is right too.

This woman looks like she’s never held a man’s hand, but in reality, she’s a well-worn rag.

She also has a tendency to buy numerous male prostitutes and indulge in orgies.

I was moved to see my students able to read people so well.

I trembled with emotion.

“Master. Are you lonely?”

As she gently held my hand, Sowol looked at me quietly. Her gaze was filled with concern.

“There must be someone better for you, Master.”

“Yes! That’s right! Sowol unnie knows how to read people! A teacher suits someone bright, cheerful, and good at physical touch!”

“Um, rather than that, wouldn’t someone a bit more modest and willing to do anything for you, Master, be a better fit?”

“Well, if possible, a confident woman would be just right. Don’t you think?”

Each of us spoke a word and gazed at one another. I smiled back at them.

You guys. Just fight moderately.